Illustration by Bianca Rader
While some people are still limiting contact with the outside world, they’ve found a way to escape the
monotony of stale pandemic life by immersing themselves into the experiences of television
and film characters.
Communication studies junior Kim Ngo, found herself watching a number of time period TV shows and movies during the pandemic and allowed the allure of a wealthy lifestyle and historical scapes to influence her viewing habits.
While watching the opulence of royal families, such as Netflix’s “The Crown,” Ngo said she felt contempt and anger toward the privilege and wealth of the characters but was simultaneously intrigued.
“Another part of me can’t help but feel really fascinated by watching how the elite few live,” Ngo said in a phone interview. “It’s almost addicting to see what their life is like, so it’s definitely escapism.”
According to Merriam-Webster, escapism is the “habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine.”
Ngo said she’s drawn to shows she finds aesthetically pleasing, such as “The Borgias” and “Medici,” but she’s not a fan of the excessive lechery laced throughout them.
“I think I gravitate towards series and films that are more historically accurate, [the films and TV shows that] talk about political tensions,” Ngo said.
SJSU film and theater lecturer Drew Todd said during generally heavy times people have historically sought on-screen entertainment that reflects day-to-day life.
“I think many assume movies/series that are ‘escapist’ do best in such moments, where escapism refers to upbeat films, whether musicals, fantasies, comedies, etc.,” Todd said in an email. “If we look back at the 1930s, following in the wake of the Great Depression, there are many movies that reflect the hard times in their plots.”
Todd also said there are historical and cultural elements that contribute to the entrancing nature of certain films and shows. A show’s intrigue ultimately depends on personal taste.
“I would answer more assertively that it’s a mixture of elements – style and storytelling, characters, stars, genres, etc. – but that mixture changes depending upon the context of production and reception,” Todd said.
Design studies senior Julian Kern watched the Matrix trilogy during the pandemic and said the movies are reflections of the era they came from.
“I don’t know if it’s much of a thing now but, like, at least during that period people were expected to be working in cubicle desks their whole career,” Kern said over the phone. “It feels a little outdated because nowadays jobs are trying to become less of that.”
Kern also said the TV shows and movies he watches are comforting to him, including Marvel movies and cartoons from his childhood.
“All these cartoons that I’ve been watching, it puts me in a really nostalgic place and kind of returns me to a simpler time,” Kern said. “And it’s nice, especially times like this where I can’t really go out that much.”
While a return to normal life is slow and tedious, the threat of new variants and possibility of spreading and contracting the coronavirus remains.
Media provides an escape from reality into nostalgic times and exotic lands without requiring consumers to leave the safety of
their homes.
Film and TV are meant to divert the attention of viewers and during difficult times, the importance of distraction is invaluable.